Team Hoyt
by Autumn from Leonardville
Rick Hoyt was born in 1962 with his umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck causing him to be diagnosed as a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy. His parents, Dick and Jody, soon realized that even though Rick would never be able to walk or speak that he was actually intelligent. Despite Rick's disabilities, Dick and Jody would still treat him as a normal child and take him to do things that normal children would enjoy. Even though Rick was born with a disability he was able to find something that made him feel good and he wants to share that with disabled people all over the world.Dick and Jody wanted more than anything for their son to be able to communicate. Dick and Jody tried to enroll him in public school but according to the area school district managers, "he doesn't understand, he won't be able to learn." According to Team Hoyt's website, their wish was granted in 1972 when a group of engineers at Tufts University built an interactive computer for Rick. It picks up the letters by the slight head movements that he could manage. A cursor would move across a screen filled with rows of letters, and when the cursor highlighted the letter that that Rick wanted, he could flip a switch on the side to select it (Protected Tomorrows). In 1975 Rick was allowed to attend public school. 
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| Rick and Dick running one of thier 1000 plus races (https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A (ABC News)) |
Rick came home from school one day and told his father that he wanted to participate in a five kilometer race benefit for a handicapped lacrosse player, Dick decided he would help Rick through the race. At the end of the five kilometers, Rick told his father ten life changing words, "Dad, when I'm running, it feels like I'm not handicapped" (Team Hoyt). This was the beginning of Team Hoyt. After completing their first race Rick and Dick have completed over 1,000 races, the 2014 Boston Marathon was their 1000th. Another one of their other achievements includes biking and running across the U.S. in 1992, they completed 3,735 miles in just 45 days (Team Hoyt). Rick and Dick have also completed six Ironman competitions, an Iron man competition consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bicycle ride and a 26.2 mile run without a break. Someone asked Rick what he would give to his father if he could give him anything in the world, Rick responded by saying, "The thing I'd like most if for my dad to sit in the chair and I would push him for once (Team Hoyt)." The Hoyt Foundation is a non-profit organization started in 1989 with the purpose of giving other disabled people self-confidence, self-esteem, and individual character. Each year Rick and Dick and other members of the foundation as well as world renowned athletes travel around and speak publicly. Rick has helped many people feel better about themselves and feel like they can do more because of his and his father's public speaking. Rick and Dick Hoyt are truly inspirational.
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| Rick Hoyt with his family (https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=A (takethemagicstep.com)) |
Even though Rick Hoyt was born with a disability he found a way to make himself feel good and he wants to share that with disabled people all over the world. This is a great inspiration. It says that even though things may look hard and you may not think you can do it there is always a way, if you put your mind to it you can do anything. Think about it, Rick Hoyt, a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy has run in over one thousand races! If he can do that, you can do anything you put your mind to.
Page created on 9/24/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last edited 9/24/2015 12:00:00 AM
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Bibliography
. "About Team Hoyt." [Online] Available http://www.teamhoyt.com/About-Team-Hoyt.html.
